Discusses his new book at Art Museum, 7 p.m., Monday, Nov. 7, as part of New York State Writers Institute's Visiting Writers series

ALBANY, N.Y. (November 2, 2011) -- Ken Johnson '78, a New York Times art critic and a leading voice in contemporary art, returns to UAlbany November 7 as a guest of the New York State Writers Institute and the University Art Museum. He will read from his new book Are You Experienced?: How Psychedelic Consciousness Transformed Modern Art, which explores the ways in which 1960s drug culture brought a shift in the meaning and purpose of art.

The event is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Art Museum, located in the Uptown Campus's Fine Arts Building.

Johnson, who earned a master's degree in studio art from UAlbany, is a faculty member at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, where he teaches the writing of art criticism. Johnson was honored as an outstanding "UAlbany Alumni Achiever" at the annual Reaching Higher, Achieving More luncheon on Oct. 14, and is guest curator of the Art Museum's current exhibition, After School Special: The 2011 Alumni Show.